The Beginning of Small Adventures…

I am adding a new category to my blog. It isn’t devotional, necessarily, but something that I believe the Lord has laid on my heart to do. The new category is called “Small Adventures” and will basically be me visiting a local landmark, museum, town, memorial, etc…and writing something about it. There will only be occasional postings so, not so many that they require their own website. And while I live in the Washington D.C. area (full of national museums and landmarks), I will be focusing on much smaller, lesser known and unknown, places.

I hope you enjoy my #smalladventures!

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God puts us in particular places, at particular times, for particular purposes… “for such a time as this.” So, I decided to begin exploring in the place where He has brought me…and I have already seen His mighty hand at work.

For those who know me, you know that I have fallen in love with all things Korean. The people, the culture, the history, the entertainment, the FOOD!

And I have no (logical) idea why.

People ask how my interest began…and my quick reply is that it all started with a YouTube video. However, the longer story is that God had actually placed North Korea, and the persecuted Church, on my heart seventeen years ago. The underground Church in North Korea (specifically) has always held a special place in my heart. Side note: Did you know that there was a great revival in Pyongyang (capital of North Korea) in 1907?

Fast forward to 2015 and I am in the midst of a pretty bad bout of depression. Something that I would do to try to cheer myself up was to watch funny YouTube videos. That day – the day the whole of Korea caught my attention and my heart – I was watching videos of people trying, and reacting to, foreign foods. I had decided to watch justonemore video before getting on with my day, and that’s the video that launched me on a journey that I could never have dreamed of! It was a funny, hipster couple from Canada, living and making videos in South Korea, who God used to open me up to a whole new world of people and experiences! It has even changed the course of my oldest child’s life! (Perhaps more on that another time.)

So, back to exploring, and growing in, the place where God has planted me.

Last September, my kiddos and I were driving through West Virginia to visit my brother in Ohio. As we were snaking our way through the mountains, I noticed a small sign on the side of the highway that said something about the 38thParallel (the line that divides north and south Korea). We weren’t able to stop and explore at the time; however, I did make a mental note to later check to see just where the 38thParallel landed within the United States. I often pray for the reunification of Korea and thought it would be cool to actually stand on the 38thParallel and pray.

A few months later, I found myself here:

38th Parallel sign at Caroline High School in Milford, VA.

Just 30 minutes away from my home, in Milford, VA stands a small memorial garden on the grounds of Caroline High School. It was created by the Caroline Middle School 2012-2013 History Club. It is the 38th Parallel/Korean War Memorial Garden and it is dedicated to the veterans of the Korean War (1950-1953).

38th Parallel/Korean War Memorial Garden at Caroline High School in Milford, VA.

My daughter and I spent a couple of hours at the memorial garden…taking pictures, reading the plaques and discussing what is often referred to as “The Forgotten War” – a war that technically continues to this day. We talked about how it started and about the impact that it has had on the people of Korea, and the world as a whole. And we took a few moments to remember those, both living and dead, who served in the Korean War.

And we prayed. Right there, on the 38thParallel – on the line that divides a people on the other side of the world – we prayed for the peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

If you’re ever passing through, I hope you will consider stopping by this lovely memorial to reflect on all those who lost their lives – both military and civilian…and to think about how this “forgotten,” yet seemingly unending, war shaped, and continues to shape, world events. And, of course, to pray for the peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.